Coin selecting mechanism



Dec. 22, M36., c. w. MOKEE COIN SELECTING MECHANISM Filed July 50, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheefl l ATTORNEY.

Dec. 22, 1936. c. w. MOKEE COIN SELECTING MECHANISM Fil'ed July 30, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Se l www INVENTOR Clear/e .Mc/(ee fr ATTORNEY Dwzz, 1936. 'C WWKEE 2,065,495

GOIN SELECTING MECHANISM Filed July 50, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 VENTOR ATTORNEY Patented 1936 com sELEc'rmG MEcnANIsM charles w. McKee, seattle, wasn., signor tof McKee Coin Selector, Inc., a. corporation of Washington Application `July so, 1934, serial No. '131,542

11 Claims.

This invention relates to coin or token selecting mechanisms and it has referencemore particularly to a means for useV in connection with coin lcontrolled machines for rejection of all coins,

5 tokens and slugs inserted therein except those which it is intended shall be used in the machine. The principal object of this invention resides in the provision of a mechanism Awhereby the inflguration of a coin is utilized to actuate any io suitable mechanism for separating the valid or predetermined type of coin from spurious ones. It is also an object of the invention to provide means whereby coins, tokens, or the like, of a designated kind are selected by means of their l5 particular surface irregularities.

More specifically stated, the present invention resides in the provision of a machine'of the above stated charater having a coin chute and means associated therewith for retaining each inserted 20 coin in position `for identification by a plurality 35 and other means whereby an operation with the u ratchet mechanism,

4of feelers which, if brought into a certain predetermined relationship, possible only when simultaneously in contact with the irregular surface of the particular coinwhich it is intended shall be used, will eiiect the opening oi' a gate in the chute to deliver the coin, when subsequently released, into the machine.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel means for supporting the coin and for rotating'it incontact with the feelers in makingl the identifying test.

Other objects of the invention reside in the details of construction of means whereby an operation of the handle ofthe' identifying machinel cannot be made except when a coin is inserted with parts in position for reception of a coin.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts set for inspection of a coin. K

Fig. 3 .is a cross sectional detail on line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4--4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is' a fragmental view of the pawl and Figs. 6, '7, and 8 are viewsof the coin in diiTerent positions during a test.

Fig. 9 is adiagrammatic view of a device of an alternative type of construction utilizing an electrically controlled mechanism.

Fig. 10 illustrates in side elevation another form of device.

Fig-11 is a back view of the same.

Referring more in detail to the drawings- First, describing the construction as disclosed in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive- I Vdesignates a boxlike housing in which the coin testing, oridentifying, mechanism is contained. Leading vertically through the housing is a coin chute 2 with its upper end opening through the top wall of the housing in a flared mouth 3. This chute extends down through the bottom wall of the housing into the mechanism, not heiiein shown, which is to be operated or controlled by the coinv and which might be a telephon vending machine, vor the like.

Within a diverting gate or vvalve plvotally mounted by -a supporting shaft 5 at its lower end and movable thereby to'open and closed positions. lin its normal positionne seen in Fig. 1, it closes o direct passage of undesired coins of any kind or slugs through the chute 2 and diverts them into a lateral lchute t which, in the present instance leads into a box or receptacle 'la within housing I for coniiscation of the coin. When in its other position, as seen in Fig. 2, it provides direct passage through chute 2 and closes the entrance to chute 6. A lateral lever arm 'l is xedto the gate shaft B and is actuated, as presently de--f -f portion of a horizontal lever I0 that extends into the chute. This lever I0 is so located t it will temporarily stop the coin-in registration with a yleldable pad l I, as in 6, that is xed on the' inner end of a sleeveA I 2 that is revoluble and also longitudinally movable on a supporting bolt It fixed in the front wall of the housing.` The sleeve has a counterbore lia in its inner end underlying the gripping pad II and a coiled spring .It surrounds 4the bolt and bears against the base portion of the counterboreand against the boit head l|311 to yieldingly urge the sleeve toward the front oi the housing and thereby-hold the pad Il at a position out of the chute so that the .coin

e housing the chute is provided with may be received on the lever I 8 alongside of the pad, as shown in Fig. 6.

For the purpose of testing,-or inspecting, the coin, it is rotated axially by the pad while a plurality of feelers are held in contact with one surface thereof. Rotation of the coin is effected by axial rotation of the sleeve I2 while the pad I I is held pressed against the coin by means presently described; it being understood that the pad being of yieldable material will frictionally grip the coin when pressed thereagainst.

The feelers consist of a plurality of independently movable pins I5 that are slidably movable in a supporting block I6 xed to the side of chute 2 opposite the pad II. The inner rounded ends of these pins are adapted to bear directly against the adjacent surface of a coin C that is held in testing position, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and while the coin is being rotated by the pad II. At their outer ends the pins I5 are pivotally connected, respectively, as at I1, with the lower ends of levers I8 which, in turn, are pivotally fixed at points near their lower ends, as at I9, to the ends ofsupporting brackets 28 that extend from the block I6. Springs 2I are attached to the levers I8 above the pivots I9 vand to the housing in a manner to cause the inner ends of the pins I5 to be urged against the coin held in testing position` Thus it is apparent that irregularities in that surface of the coin against which the feelers press, will, upon rotation of the coin, cause the feelers to be moved inwardly or outwardly accordingly, and their movement will cause an inward or outward swinging of the upper ends of levers I8.

Each lever I8 is pivotally attached at its upper end to a horizontally disposed bar 24. These several bars are slidably movable in a bracket 25 supported by an arm 26 from the block I6. Each bar 24 is provided in its top edge with a notch 21, as shown in Fig. 1. A lever arm 28 is pivoted at one end on the arm 26, as at 29, and has its opposite end portion overlying the three bars 24 and has a .link 38 connecting its movable end with the arm 'I for actuating the gate 4 when the bars 24 are brought to such position that the notches 21 thereof will be in exact alinement beneath the lever, the lever 28 will drop downwardly therein and, by means of link 30, the gate 4 will be actuated to open position, of Fig. 2, but when the lever 28 is lifted out of the notches to rest upon the bars, as in Fig. l, the gate 4 will be moved to closed position. Thus it is apparent that if the machine is intended to accept only coins or` tokens having certain surface characteristics such, for example, as the present day buffalo nickel, the notches 21 can be so located in the bars 24 that at a certain position of the c oin during its period of rotation,

vthe feeler pins will shift the bars 24 to positions to cause the notches 21 to come into alinement and permit the lever arm 28 to drop therein; thus, to open gate 4- so that, on release of the coin from the pad II, it will continue downthe chute 2 to the machine it is intended to control. If, however, the gate 4 is not opened as would be the case if the coin was not of a proper kind, the coin when released by the pad II would be diverted into the box 1a and confiscated or returned without delivery to the machine to be operated.

When a c oin is released by the pad I I and passes down through chute 2 past the gate 4, it contacts with the inner end of a trip lever 30 pivoted, as at SI, and moves the outer end of the lever UD- wardly. The outer end of the lever is connected by a link 32 with the arm 1, and thus it operates to lift the link 38 to unseat the lever 28 from the notches of the bars 24 and permits the feelers to be reset under action of springs 2l.

Testing of a` coin is effected by rotating it while it is pressed inwardly by the pad II against the inner face of block I6 and with the feelers I5 bearing yieldingly thereagainst. The means for thus holding and rotating the coin is as follows- Plvotally attached, as at 35, to abracket 36 fixed to the back wall of the housing is a lever 38 that extends forwardly through the housing and through a vertical slot 38 in the forward or front wall. At its outer end, the lever has a handle portion 48 whereby it may be actuated downwardly from position of Fig. 1 to position of Fig. 2. A cable 42 is attached to the lever and is wound about the sleeve I2 and is attached thereto so that, on depression of the lever 38, the sleeve will be rotated thus to wind up a clock spring 45 contained within the outer end of the sleeve with opposite ends xed to the sleeve and its supporting bolt I3, respectively. Also, supported on the inner face of the forward wall of the housing is a vertically movable sleeve shifting bar 50 which has a laterally turned flange 5I at its lower end 'formed with a vertical slot 52, as seen in Fig. 3. At its upper end the bar has a vertical slot 53 that receives the inner end of bolt I3 therethrough as a guide while a headed pin 54 extends through the lower slot 52 into the housing wall as a guide for that end. The upper end of the bar 58 lhas cam surfaces 58a which, upon downward shifting of the bar, will engage with the inner end of the sleeve to push the sleeve inwardly along the bolt I3 against the expanding pressure of spring I4, thereby to cause the pad I I to press against a coin which has been inserted in the chute and is then supported by the lower end of lever I0.

Downward shifting of the bar 58 for inward actuation of the sleeve I2 is effected by means of a stud 68 xed on a block 6I that is slidable on the lever 38. This stud projects into and is movable along a slot 63 that extends lengthwise of an outturned flange 58 of the bar 50. When the lever 38 is pushed downwardly to its lower limit for actuation of the device, the stud 68 engages with the lower end of slot 63 and causes the bar 58 to be shifted downwardly thereby to cause the cam surfaces 58a at its upper end to effect the inward shifting of the sleeve. On release of the lever 38 after being fully depressed, the clock spring unwinds, and thereby rotates the sleeve and also winds up the cable 42 and brings the lever 38 back to raised position. During final upward movement of the lever the stud 68 engages with the upper end of slot 63 and thereby shifts the bar 50 upwardly and thus disengages the cam surfaces 50a from the sleeve and the latter is shifted outwardly by spring I4 thereby causing pad II to release its hold on the coin so that the coin may drop down chuptg/Z either to the machine lto be operated or diverted to thereceptacle 1. l

It will be explained here that when the coin is pressedinwardly by the pad II against the face of block I6, as shown in Fig. 2, it effects the withdrawal of the-end of lever I0 from the chute so that when the coin is ultimately released, the lever II) will not be in the way of the coin in passing down the chute. To effect this withdrawal of the lever I0, there is provided a link 55 suspended by pivotal connection, as at 56, with a bracket 51 A0n the block I6. A push pin 58 extends slidably 75 and this in turn causes an outwardswinging of the link 55. Lever I0 is pivotally attached to link 55, and thus its end is pulled from chute 2 to the position of Fig. 2. To hold the lever Ill in with-f drawn position until the coin has been tested and* l0 dropped down the chute 2, a latch lever 58 is pivoted on the block `I8 and is pulled upwardly by a.

spring 60. When link 55 is pushed rearwardly, as in Fig. 2, it is engaged by latch 59 and is held at that position, against the inward pull of a spring 8| that is attached to block I8 and to the link.

When the tested coin isreleased by the outward withdrawal of pad II, it 'drops down the .chute and engages the inner end of a lever 83 exby a link 64 `with latch 58 in a manner 4whereby the coin in passing the lever 83 causes the latch 88 to disengage lthe link 55 and the lever I8 will be reset by the pull of spring 8|. When the lever I0 moves inwardly it is disposed in position to receive the next inserted coin.

In order that the main lever 38 cannot beactuated without insertion of a coin .in chute 2, a latch lever is provided. This is pivotally suspended from a pivot 1I on a bracket 12 attached to the front wall of the housing. At its lower end the latch has a hook 13 to engage a stud 14 xed in the lever 38. Normally the latch is in holding position, but it is connected by a link 'I5 with the lowerend of a vertically disposed lever 18 pivotally mounted at a medial point, as at 11p by a bracket 18 onthe chute 2. The upper en'd of the lever 'I6 is beveled and when the parts are set to receive a coin, supports thereon the end of lever III, as shown in Fig. l. Thus, when a coin is droppedinto chute 2 against lever I0, it slightly depresses the latter, and this causes the lever 16 to move pivotallyin a manner to pull the latch 18 out of the path of stud 14 so that lever 38 canvbe depressed.

In order that an operation cannot be partially completed, a ratchetV bar 88 is fixed vertically alongside of lever,38 and this has a rack toothed edge 8| formed about pivot 35 as a. center, and a, pawl 82 is pivoted on the lever to yieldingly engage the teeth, as seen in Fig. 5, in a 'manner whereby the pawl is released for a return of the lever 38 only at the, limits of movement in either direction.

38, and a back check relief valve 93 'is provided (i0 in the piston to permit quick downward pull oi'. the lever but a retarded return by reason of limiting the rate of exhaust of air past the valve.

Assuming the parts to be so constructed, the operation is as followsri When a coin, token or slug is dropped into th coin chute 2 it passes downwardly therein into contact with the inner end portion of the lever I 8, as in Fig. 6. Impact against the lever I0 causes' a slight downward/,movement thereof which rocks the lever 18 in a rn'anner to withdraw the latch 13 from holding contact with the pin 14 on the lever 38. The operator then presses downwardly on the outer end of .the lever 38 moving it from the position of Fig. l to the position of Fig. 2. By this downward movement, the -cable 42 effects the tended into the chute. This lever' is connected To retard the rotation of thesleeve for the coin open position.

rotation of sleeve and the winding up' of the spring 45 within the sleeve, and during the latter part of the downward movement of the 'lever 38 the stud causes the bar 88 to be shifted downwardly so that the cam surfaces 80a of the bar move the sleeve I2 inwardly, thereby causing. the pad II to be pressed vtightly-'aesinet the faceof the coin, and thecoin moved-over against the.

face of block I8 t'o depress the feelers I5, as shownin Fig. 2. Ylfhen when the lever 38 is released', after being depressed, the spring 4S causes a rotativemovement; of the sleeve whereby the coin is slowly rotated while held in contact withjhe feelers I8; the rotary movement of the sleeve being retardedby the controlled movement of the .pis-

v ton 9i in the cylinder l0.

Assuming that the coin is of the particular kind intended for use in the machine, such for example as the buffalo nickel, the irregularities of that surface againstwhich the inner ends of. the pins I5 engage will cause the pins to Vhe shifted inwardly or outwardly in accdrdancewith the irregularities and at a certain position of the coin can be madeto bring the notches 21 of the several bars 24 into alinement and will permit the lever 28 to drop therein. Dropping of the lever 28 eii'ects movementof the diverting gate 4 to open position. as in Fig.' 2. Coincident with the inward movement of the sleeve I2 in gripping the coin, the coin shifts the pin 58 outwardly and through the `mediacy of the lever withdraws the lever I8. from the path of the coin so that when it is later released by the pad II it will drop down for continued movement in the slot 2. If the coin should not be of the proper character, it is apparent that vthe bars 24 will not be shifted to bring their slots 21 into alinement. and the lever 28 will not .be permitted to drop and the divertingV gate 4 will then remain closed,` and when the coin is released by the pad it will be delivered into the box 1a.

' Assuming that the coin is of the proper kind chute 2, it will trip the lever 38 and thereby lift the lever 28 and permit'resetting of the feelers v under pull of springs, 2l. Passage of the coin through the chute 2 also eiects tripping oi' the lever 63 which releases the latch'lever 58 and resets the lever I8.

In the alternative construction, asiillust'rated in'Fig. il, the block Ita which replaces block I6,

as seen in Fig, l, is provided in its inner facewith a depression adapted to seat only selected coin therein. In the blockfare circuit contacts the bracket 98, and this block has a depression 98a adapted to seat only the intended coin. When a coin is so seated. it operates as a connection between the block IGa and sleeve I2 for rotating the block. 0n the block I 6b is a cam lobe 99 adapted, on rotation of the block, to disenga'ge the lever 28, thus to actuate valve 4 to In this arrangement, it is' Either of these latter devices are subject to modification without departing from the invention.

While I have illustrated the device as being manually operated through the mediacy of the hand lever 38, it is apparent that other forms of mechanisms might be employed for automatic operation under spring or electric power. For instance, the insertion of a coin might be used to close a circuit through electrical equipment for actuating the sleeve I2 or it might be employed to release a spring driven mechanism for rotating the sleeve.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent isv 1. In a coin selecting mechanism, in combination. a coin chute, a gate in the chute normally positioned for diverting coins therefrom, means associated with the chute whereby each coin passing therealong will be temporarily checked before reaching the gate, means operable to rotate the coin while checked, feelers arranged to be conjointly actuated by surface irregularities on the same side of the rotated coin to release the gate, normally restrained means for actuating the gate to non-diverting position, and means controlled by said feelers for restraining said last named means.

2. In a coin selecting mechanism, a coin chute, a gate member associated therewith for diverting coins from the chute, a lever connected with the gate to hold it in diverting position, a means for temporarily stopping each coin deposited in the chute, means for rotating the coins when stopped, a plurality of feeler pins mounted to engage with the same side surface of a coin while it is rotated and to be individually moved by the surface irregularities of the coin, and slides normally supporting said lever in a manner where- .by the gate is held in diverting position and adapted to be-'individually moved by said feelers to conjointly effect release of the lever for moving the diverting gate to a non-diverting position.

3. In a coin selecting means, a coin chute, a diverting gate normally disposed in the chute for diverting coins therefrom, a testing device comprising means for stopping a coin in the chute before reaching the gate, means operable to rotate the coin while stopped, a plurality 0f feelers mounted tov engage at different points with the surface of the coin as it is rotated and to be moved byv its surface irregularities, a normally restrained lever, means operatively connecting the lever with the diverting gate for moving it to non-diverting position, and means individually actuated by the feelers to conjointly control release of the lever to actuate the valve to non-diverting position.

4. In a coin selecting means, a coin chute, a gate member normally positioned` in the chute for diverting coins therefrom, a testing device comprising means for stopping a-coin in the chute before reaching the gate. means operable .to rotate the coin while stopped, a. plurality of feelers mounted to engage at different points withthe surface of the coin as it is rotated and to be individually moved by its surface irregularities, a.v normally restrained lever, means operatively connecting the `lever `with the diverting gate to move it from diverting to non-diverting position, means individually actuated by the feelers to conjointly effect release ofthe restrained lleverto actuate the gate to non-diverting position, and a lever extended into the chute at a point beyond the diverting gate to be engaged and actuated by a passing coin to reset the gate actuating lever.

5. A coin selecting means comprising, in combination, a coin chute, a gate in the chute for diverting coins therefrom, means for temporarily stopping coins in the chute prior to reaching said gate, means adapted to be manually set in motion to cause the stopped coins to be rotated, feelers arranged to be actuated individu-ally by surface irregularities of a coin being rotated, a pivoted lever, means connecting the gate and lever for actuation of the gate to non-diverting position, slides, corresponding to the several feelers conjointly controlling the lever thereby to retain the gate in position to divert coins from the chute an'd means connecting each of the slides with its corresponding feeler whereby the slides, When moved by a coin of selected kind, will conjointly effect the release of the lever for actuation of thegate to non-diverting position.

6. A coin selecting means comprising, in combination, a coin chute, a gate in the chute normally positioned for diverting coins therefrom, means for temporarily stopping coins in the chute prior to their reaching said valve, means ad-apted to be manually set in motion to cause the stopped coins to be rotated, feelers arranged to engage the stopped coin and to be actuated by its surface irregularities, a pivoted lever, means connecting the gate and lever for actuation of the Agate by the lever to non-diverting position, a plurality of slides conjointly restraining the lever thereby to retain the gate in diverting position, means connecting each of the slides with a feeler whereby the slides, when brought to proper relationship by. a coin of selected kind, will effect the release of the restrained lever for actuation of the gate to non-diverting position, and means having a part extended into the chute at a point beyond the gate operable by a coin in passing to reset the lever and gate.

'7. A coin selecting mechanism, comprising a coin chute, a gate in the chute normally positioned for diverting coins therefrom, means for temporarily stopping coins deposited in the chute, means movable linto frictional contact with a coin while stopped and whereby the coin may be rotated, means manually movable to effect the rotation of said means to rotate the coin, feelers mounted to engage with and to be relatively moved by contact with surface irregularities of the coin as it is rotated, normally restrained means operatively connected with the gate and adapted to be released by said feelers operating conjointly, whereby the gate is actuated to nondiverting position, andmeans, including a lever extended into 'the chute at a point beyond the gate and operable by a coin in passing to reset the normally restrained means and move the gate to diverting position. Y

8. A device, as in claim '1, wherein the said manual means includes a hand lever, and wherein a latch is provided for locking the hand lever against operating movement, and whereinV there is othermeans, operable by the coin stopping means to release the latch.

9. In a coin selecting means, the combination with a coin chute of means for diverting coins Y 'from the guide way and operable between diverting and non-diverting positions by means oper-I able under control of the inguration of an inserted coin; said means including av device for temporarily stopping the coin in the chute, means for rotating the stopped coin, a plurality of feelers is rotated and to be moved by the surface. irregularities thereof, a slide operatively connected with each feeler for movement thereby, said slides having notches therein adapted to be alined during rotative action of a coin of proper kind, a lever i operatively connected with the gate and adapted to drop into said slots when alined, thereby to move the gate to non-diverting position.

10. In a" coin selecting mechanism provided with a single intake coin chute. means for interrupting movement of a coin along said chute and for rotating it about an axis extending through the center of its faces, control devices including a plurality of spaced members projecting into displaceable abutment 4with one tace oi' a coin 1 when rotated by said means: said devices adapted to direct a coin along the chute or 'from it; said projecting members being spacedA and 20 adapted to bear upon the face ot a coin while trol devices adapted to 'change being rotated at points spaced laterally at predetermined distances from the central axis o1' said coin; said control devices being operable by a predetermined relative displacement of said projecting members. v

1l. In a coin selecting mechanism provided with a single intake chute, means for interrupting the travel of the coin along said, chute, means for rotating' the coin while thus interrupted, means beyond the interrupting l'means normally positionedtor directing a. coin fr the chute, cone position of said directing means for permit the coin to continus along the chute: said control devices including a plurality of feelers in displaceable abutment with surfaces oi the rotated coin and operable by predetermined displacement to actuate the control devices. v I

CHARLES `W. McKEE. 

